Pottsgrove's choice: Higher taxes or one less administrator forced by federal funding cut

By
Evan Brandt, The Mercury

Friday, June 21, 2013

LOWER POTTSGROVE — As the budget debate unfolds in Harrisburg, the Pottsgrove School Board this week received a budget surprise from an unexpected source — the federal government.

The $70,000 cut to the federal Title I program is further complicated by requirements that kick in when school buildings don’t meet the Adequate Yearly Progress requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind law, Business Manager David Nester told the school board.

Since the district changed to the centers-based elementary education model this year, how Lower Pottsgrove Elementary scores on statewide tests is now doubly as significant.

Because the first standardized tests that determine AYP are not implemented until third grade, the AYP status of the two grade K-2 schools — Ringing Rocks and West Pottsgrove — is tied to the scores at Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School.

Given that the administration is “assuming” that Lower Pottsgrove Elementary will not make AYP for this year either, the resulting shift in the federal funding stream has created a dilemma for the proposed 2013-14 budget.

That $62 million preliminary budget calls for the hiring of seven additional staff, including a curriculum and staff development coordinator which was pitched to the board as being partially paid for with the federal funds now in question.

The problem, Nester said, is that the failure of the district’s schools to meet the ever-escalating AYP standards means that a goodly portion of the federal Title I and Title II funds will have to be spent in a manner and on programs dictated by the federal government.

They cannot, he said, be spent as Pottsgrove had planned, covering part of the salary of a position that would aid the disadvantaged students the federal funds are aimed at helping.

Nester said as much as $100,000 of the $350,000 in federal funding “must be set aside for certain uses other than what we currently use them for, and in the past we have used this money to bolster the reading staff.”

Nester said in recent weeks, the administration had identified some savings in personnel costs, so the net gap now in the budget is in the $140,000 range. To close that gap, the board can either raise taxes or cut costs.

Nester said the tax increase to cover that shortfall would be 0.56 percent.

Despite declaring that he “hates taxes,” board member Ted Coffelt, who voted against the higher tax rate in May, said, “I would be willing to go up to keep the program.”

But board member Mike Neiffer pointed to another solution, noting that much of the gap could be closed by not hiring the curriculum and staff development coordinator.

“That would be hard to swallow,” school board President Scott Fulmer said. “I know Shellie wants that position,” he said referring to Superintendent Shellie Feola.

“I don’t see anyone else making any other suggestions,” Neiffer said.

Ironically, the suggestion Neiffer identified was offered earlier in the meeting when school board candidate Rick Rabinowitz asked the board to keep trying to drive down the budget’s tax hike.

Neiffer, who was defeated in the primary election and whose term will end in November, reacted to Rabinowitz’s request by angrily and repeatedly demanding of Rabinowitz, “You’re a candidate now. Tell us what to cut. If you’re not coming to us with ideas, you’re not helping.”

“This isn’t just going to be this year,” Nester warned the board.

“We could have this continue into next year and the next if sequestration continues. If Pennsylvania’s waiver (from AYP) requirements is not granted, this is a conversation we’re going be having next year and the year after that,” said Nester.

The board did not make a choice, pushing the decision off to the June 28 meeting at which the final budget will be adopted. That meeting begins at 7 p.m. and will be held in the administration building adjacent to the high school.

The board did instruct the administration to go ahead and apply for the federal Title I and Title II grants.

“We can’t afford not to have that program,” said school board member Justin Valentine.